-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The chairman of the club that hosts America 's most prestigious golf tournament skirted the prickly issue of women 's membership Wednesday , saying it is a private matter .

During his annual media session , Billy Payne , chairman of Augusta National Golf Club , did not comment specifically on Ginni Rometty , the top executive at IBM and , undoubtedly , one of the corporate world 's most powerful women .

IBM 's sponsorship of the Masters tournament guarantees club membership for its officers , but Rometty is a woman , and the club does not allow women to join .

`` Well , as has been the case , whenever that question is asked , all issues of membership are now and have historically been subject to the private deliberation of members , '' Payne said . `` That statement remains accurate ; it remains my statement . ''

IBM spokesman Ed Barbini told CNN Wednesday that the company would not comment on the controversy .

The question of Rometty 's membership has again brought the gender controversy to the forefront .

Women 's rights activist Martha Burk tried to change the exclusionary policy nine years ago when she showed up at the Augusta entrance to lead a series of protests against men-only membership .

Her efforts were in vain .

Now , she says , `` the boys '' at Augusta , members and sponsors alike , find themselves in a big bind .

`` The ` woman problem ' is back , '' she wrote in a column for CNN on Tuesday .

Burk says there are only two choices at hand : Augusta can open its doors to women , or IBM can yank its money and force its male executives to resign from the club .

`` Those are the only two options that are viable that are going to wash with the public , '' Burk told CNN last week .

Augusta 's membership -- which includes titans of industry and finance -- has been male-only since the club 's opening in 1932 .

When Burk tried to change things in 2002 , Augusta 's then-chairman , Hootie Johnson , resisted , saying that gender integration would not come `` at the point of a bayonet . ''

In 2006 , Burk was among a group of Exxon shareholders who accused the company of violating its discrimination policies by supporting the tournament .

Nonmembers can play on the course only when hosted by members .

Augusta is famously secretive about its membership , and the club declined to comment on the issue , as did IBM spokesman Chris Andrews .

`` Augusta is a private club , and their personal membership is an internal matter , '' he said .

IBM , however , has played a role in changing policy before . The company pulled television ads from the PGA Championship when it was played at the whites-only Shoal Creek golf club in Alabama . The club admitted its first African-American in 1990 and now claims former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as a member .

Augusta also did not welcome its first black member until 1990 , when Gannett television division president Ron Townsend joined the club .

On the eve of the 2012 Masters opening Thursday , speculation surfaced that Payne , known to be more progressive than his predecessor , will offer Rometty a membership , but only after the tournament ends and the gender debate dies down .

`` Sorry , but that dog wo n't hunt , '' Burk wrote . `` Telling Rometty to be a good girl and wait a little longer with IBM 's collusion would be a disaster -- not only for the company 's image , but for Rometty 's credibility as its leader . ''

More and more people are asking Augusta to man up and get rid of what they say is a discriminatory policy from the past .

Payne did not announce any sweeping changes from the hot seat Wednesday . That means that Rometty will probably not show up this year in a green jacket .

The question is : Will she ever ?

CNN 's James O'Toole and Leigh Remizowski contributed to this report .

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Augusta National Chairman Billy Payne is asked about the men-only membership policy

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He says membership is `` subject to the private deliberation of members ''

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Ginni Rometty , IBM 's top executive , can not join despite her company 's sponsorship

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Her status has reignited the gender controversy as the Masters begins